Blamire to Gladstone, November 24th

Blamire penned a cover to be tagged with the correspondence he had with Gladstone about Assistant Commissioner Wetherell’s Report and the proposed purchase of Aldershot Common.:

“Letter from me to the Chancellor of the Exchequer saying with reference to this Report of which copy has been lent to him, with reference to the former communication … on this subject, that may strongly to recommend that the Board of Ordnance should be authorised to take immediate steps for the purpose of having as much as .. of these lands for military use, that there can be no doubt that a considerable portion of the interest of the money .. in the purchase would be desired from the uses to which the land might be applied when not occupied by troops, and also from the ground rent of small portions on the border which might be let for public houses, shops and other buildings associated with the traffic which would follow the occupation of the ground by troops. This further to be considered that if at any time the Government should wish to dispose of the land it would probably be for more that would have been given for it & therefore the outlay would not be like that for a Barrack or a Fortification .. but it would an investment of capital in the purchase of an always taxable commodity.”